Archaeologist Tim Browne, 53, visits the Waterfront area two or three times a week to look after his brother-in-law’s boat and has become increasingly worried about the “shocking” state of the Pauls and Burton buildings at the Stoke Bridge end of the quayside.

Mr Browne, of Stoke Park, said: “I’m used to working on building sites and doing risk assessments and I certainly wouldn’t walk next to those buildings.

“A lot of people don’t look up – they don’t know what they’re walking under.

“There’s broken glass in the frames and on the floor. My concern is that there are people parking cars and walking next to these buildings and there could be a potentially nasty accident. Falling glass is potentially fatal.”

Mr Browne has reported his concerns to Ipswich Borough Council and he is particularly worried about high winds hitting the buildings.

He said: “I know they can’t do anything about the buildings, but they could put an exclusion zone in.

“There is a lot of glass up there waiting to fall out.”

An Ipswich Borough Council spokesman said: “We have been in contact with the owners of the buildings this week after investigating the situation and have been assured that they will deal with the problem, which has been caused by vandals breaking window panes.

“We will monitor the situation and follow up if action to remove unsafe glass is not carried out.”